This invention relates generally to games of the type having path means for the advancement of playing pieces and means for determining the relative rates of advancement of the playing pieces of different players along said path means. More particularly, the invention relates to such games in which said means for determining the relative rates of advancement of the playing pieces is a function of player skill rather than chance alone.
Various games have been devised in which players in turn advance markers or playing pieces along a course that is laid out on a game board, the course being divided into a series of stations. In some instances the number of stations to which a marker is to be advanced is determined by chance, for example, by rolling dice, no skill being involved in the determination. In other examples, each player spins a pointer that traverses a series of numbers that indicate the number of stations through which a marker is to be advanced. Theoretically, some skill is involved in the spinning of a pointer since the degree to which the pointer is accelerated determines the particular number at which the pointer stops. In practice, however, the resistance to rotation of the pointer is so slight as to preclude any significant development of player skill. For increased player interest it is highly desirable to provide some type of advance-determining means that requires a meaningful degree of player skill as well as the opportunity to increase that skill with practice.
Some games do require substantial skill on the part of a player, and for this purpose the players manipulate means including an electric circuit with numerous contacts to energize selectively a plurality of indicator lamps that represent various values. Unfortunately, electric circuits with numerous contacts are vulnerable to failure and such failure immediately makes the games inoperative.